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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. band — a music group
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. pitch — completely
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. deal — to handle
  7. tube — a container
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. mark — a grade
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. stock — shares
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. tube — the underground
  16. plane — a tool
  17. date — the fruit
  18. stock — goods
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. band — a ring
  21. mark — a trace
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. mark — to pay attention

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com